Triton Carrier Submarine
|type = Transportation Submarine, Aircraft Carrier |origin = Forge World Kirya }} The Triton Carrier Submarine is a unique class of carrier submarine utilised exclusively by the Scions Hospitalier Legion to transport both troops and vehicles across vast distances. The crowning achievement of underwater warfare by the masters of the deep, the Triton Class Submarine brings the Scions' accuracy and strike capability silently and swiftly through the ocean to deliver the decapitating blow precisely when it's needed. Half again as long as the Abyssal class the Triton differs from the standard submarine design to complete it's main role. With a widened hull to allow for storage of up to 32 aircraft. With several elevators for raising and lowering them onto the flight deck and the fin set into the starboard side of the hull acting as a remote flight control tower the submarine is transformed from a hidden blade to an entire portable base that can pop up wherever it's needed. The flight deck itself is built into the outer hull, with a runway on either side of the fin, stretching from nose to tail to allow aircraft to take off. These are either unaided or done with the help of the electromagnetic catapult launchers built into the deck of both runways. Built to travel the depths of alien worlds for months on end this concentration of Hospitalier ingenuity and Mechanicus cooperation is the pinnacle of the XIXth's scalpel-like precision in naval warfare. History The Triton is a design born of necessity during the great crusade. While the role of an underwater main combatant had been thoroughly covered through the Abyssal class and had served the legion well for a century, the naval capabilities of the Scions had several shortcomings. While able to engage aerial targets enemies with Dominae missiles, they are only useful against low-flying aircraft, meaning an enemy would still be able to maintain air superiority. Secondly, while the long range of the Sea-Scythe cruise missiles allows for long-range attacks their on-board cogitators aren't powerful enough to make the rapid decision-making necessary to choose their own targets while in-flight. This means they either have to rely on a ground asset providing guidance or pre-planned coordinates to attack. These shortfalls meant that a platform for air dominance and reconnaissance would be needed to act as the head of a fleet, keeping anti-submarine aircraft out of the sky and guiding the fleet to targets. The Triton was requisitioned to help make up for this gap in operation capability. Developed on Kirya as it's predecessor had been, the bonds created between the Scions and Mechanicus of the Forge World had strengthened greatly with the Abyssal's success. The Triton would prove a difficult challenge due to it's complexity as well as outside forces. Notably through it's early life there were at least 15 different designs that were made and disregarded before the final being worked on by various Techmarines and Magos for approval. Eventually reaching the manufacturing phase the Yamatar Region found itself under attack from a series of Slaugth insurgencies that struck at power generators throughout the system disabling or destroying untold amounts of systems and causing meltdowns throughout the many hives. Multiple foundries and manufactorums fell to the initial attack which managed to wreak havoc, including the joint research division where Triton was being developed. Skitarii forces in conjunction with the Legio Gojira helping in the crushing of minor rebellion, but struggled as small pockets of the xenos and their thralls would use the depths of the hive cities to their advantage, surfacing and striking before the Mechanicum forces could respond. Eventually the last remnants of the infestation were hunted down and cornered, making their final stand at the High Church of the Ecclisiarchy on Zuka. After the insurgency was destroyed the remnants of the projects files and it's prototype hull were recovered, miraculously still-intact after the anarchy of rebellion. Picking the pieces of the project the legionnaire smiths of the XIXth and the Kiryan Mechanicus tech-sages were galvanised in their efforts to make a vessel capable of making quick and devastating strikes before disappearing back into the depths. And they did. Over 2 decades passed before the final product was built, years in the mechanicum's forges and inordinate amounts of resources went into the design and construction. To the point that if polled, one in every 10 members of the Forge World Kirya would have a direct connection to the Triton's construction in one way or another. Such was the cost in materials that only 8 of the great leviathans could be built. With the complexity and scarcity of their compact control systems and robust life-support proving to be so rare that if sold, they could buy an entire hive city with the resulting wealth. With such limited numbers Triton stood as a flagship for whole fleets of Abyssal and Atlas, ensuring aerial domination while the depths were scoured clean of resistance. The most notable engagement of the Triton was poetic in the it's prosecution, as the world of Falax was found to be a stronghold for the Slaugth that had attacked the Yamatar region decades before. A predominantly oceanic world with tens of thousands of clustered islands, and a perpetual storm season with typhoons and hurricanes frequently battering the surface meant that a land-based assault would prove too costly and take too long. In the place land-based tactics the Commander of the Scions chose to employ the Triton instead, backed up by a full fleet of 50 Abyssal and Atlas submarines in support. Using the Triton to scout and conduct raids on Slaugth bases, the submarine allowed Imperial forces to swiftly strike against the xeno strongholds, either clearing them with bolter and flame or by obliterating them completely with wave after wave of Sea-Scythe cruise missiles. While slow work it proved to be extremely effective, with the xenos unable to mount a defence against an enemy they could not see they suffered death through a thousand cuts as their blasted fortresses were brought low one after the other. Overall the Triton, while complex and hard to maintain gave the Scions the tactical flexibility to both conquer their preferred environment of the sea, but the sky as well, cementing it as a harbinger of doom for those enemies who were witness to it's operational capability. Design The design of the Triton is much akin to the Abyssal class of submarine, but is overwhelmingly wider, to allow the storage of aircraft side by side in it's storage bay, as well as accommodate the two runways on the flight deck. The flight deck and the storage bay are connected by massive hydraulic lifts, with one at the front and rear of each runway for redundancy and avoid blocking any craft inside if one or several of them were inoperable. With the same sound-absorbent outer layering on the outside of the vessel and tapered nose of the Abyssal, the Triton differs in it's propulsion by adding a second propulsor, both of which are powered by twin Fusion cores. With a single fin in the centre of the flight deck and 4 horizontal control fins on the flanks of the vessel it manoeuvres through the water more laboriously than it's smaller cousin but retains a great degree of control where other large vessels might not. Internally the storage bay takes up the majority of the top deck, while all other normal submarine control decks, extra accommodation for pilots and Astartes troops, engineering and torpedo systems are located on the 3 decks underneath, with the vessel being split into 4 seal-able sections (Fwd, Mid Storage Bay and Aft) in case of an fire or emergency. Armament Naval Weapons Designed first and foremost as a weapons platform the weaponry squeezed into the submarine's body makes sure it uses every square inch of space to fit as much firepower as possible. Able to track hunt and kill enemies within the sea and able to bombard fortified positions from the safety of the sea provides the biggest advantage of all. The traditional submarine weapon of torpedoes are present, with 4 launch tubes located in the 'chin' of the ship supported by the weapons bay any good team can reload a full salvo of torpedoes in less than 3 minutes. The weapons bay, where all 48 spare Typhoon torpedoes are stored, has a complex system of lifts and racks, allowing for the maximum storage area and swift reloading of empty tubes. The Typhoon torpedoes themselves are a modular weapons platform. While the main body is powered by both a small multi-fuel combustion engine the warhead itself is variable able to swap out the normal warhead for a plasma or even burrowing 'Rikkter' melta payload. Able to be controlled remotely by wire or using the on-board servitor cogitation system to search for targets, it guarantees to find it's prey. Air Defence Turrets Hyperios Missile Launcher pods placed at 3 points on the flight deck are used to provide anti-air coverage whilst on the surface. With 20 rockets in each pod ready to go, they can be lowered into their docking cradles and reloaded via a interlock system leading to the inside of the hull with 60 spare rockets per turret. The limitation to this system is that it can only target low flying aircraft due to the size of the missiles, as they can only hold so much fuel. This limitation means any attempt to attack aircraft at high altitude or over long distance is the weak point of the missiles. They can however, strike both aircraft and incoming missiles allowing them to provide full air-defence in their limited operational range. The launchers are also lowered into their cradles and covered over by sliding sections of hull plating for transit underwater, helping to reduce flow noise and drag as the submarine moves through the water. Aircraft: Storm Eagle The Storm Eagle is an assault gunship that has a variety of weaponry for air-to-ground and air-to-air engagements, along with the ability to transport up to 20 marines within each. With a total of 10 stored on board they provide the main transportation and close-air support for any ground based operations. Fire Raptor The Fire Raptor, whilst sharing the same chassis as the Storm eagle has forgone the troop carrying ability to enhance it's armament significantly. Carrying two chin-mounted Avenger Bolt Cannons, and a twin-linked heavy weapon ball turret on each flank, they provide devastating fire support for any ground mission. Voss Pattern Lightning Strike Fighter Designed as a multi-role platform the Voss pattern could be outfitted with either a bomb or anti-air missiles. While older and complex to maintain they more than proved their worth with their superior manoeuvrability and firepower being able to outmatch even Eldar fighters. Kept in a small number on board they serve either as escort for the Storm Eagles or working alongside the Fire Raptors in a ground attack. Xiphon Pattern Interceptor Capable as both an aerial and space interceptor the Xiphon proves to be the height of the dogfighting technology of it's time. Made during the early decades of the Great Crusade if fell out of favour later on due to the rare and hard to replace STC elements of it's design, but the armoury of the XIXth kept a small but well-maintained stockpile. Whilst limited in it's range the speed and agility of the airframe allowed the Xiphon to dominate any sky or void it found itself in. Even with a small number of them on board their presence is easily able to take care of any aerial threat the Triton's Hyperios missile pods can't reach. Control Systems While any normal airfield would have an elevated platform that would allow controllers to have an overview to direct air traffic, the enclosed nature of the submarine, and to cut down on the drag a tower would have when travelling underwater, has the air traffic control inside the submarine itself, next door to the command centre itself. The air traffic is controlled through a series of retractable cameras and radars mounted on the top of the fin, linked to the internal cogitator architecture to allow for full 360 degree visual and radar coverage. As a precautionary measure a pair of marines can man the bridge at the top of the fin when surfaced and communicate with those below as an emergency precaution. The main difference being the air traffic control room, the rest of the submarine's command and control systems are laid out in the same as the Abyssal class of submarine, with both a control room for tactical stations and one for engineering and Fusion core observation and maintenance. Defensive Systems The hull of the Abyssal is separated into two distinct sections, the outer hull an the inner hull. The inner hull is a thick layer of adamantium plating and is the vessel within which the crew and the ships systems are contained, while the outer hull is a mixed layer of sound-dampening tiles, ceramite plate with armaplas mesh over a thinner adamantium hull. The outer layer is developed so that it can maintain a quiet profile whilst in the water and provide adequate armour to the ship as the differing types of armour used means it is more likely to defeat weapons used against it. In the case the outer hull isn't enough to protect the ship the fallback of a thick layer of adamantium allows the Abyssal to weather anything short of titan weaponry before it retreats from a fight. Placed underneath the outer hull at regular intervals are small, single-launch tubes, each loaded with a 'Siren' Pattern of naval decoy. These decoys are used against guided naval weapons or simply as a screen to allow the Abyssal to retreat behind. The decoys work by generating a massive amount of noise that varies frequency, whilst also making large clouds of bubbles through rapid heating of the water around it. This distraction means that any guided device wouldn't be able to hear, see or detect (through thermal imaging) the submarine whilst a siren is deployed. Engines Due to the extreme nature of both operation the aircraft elements of the submarine as well as the support systems needed to house, feed and maintain a complement of over 300 personnel. The Pair of Fusion Cores strike the balance between power output, lifespan and maintenance needed, with one Core being able to provide enough energy to run a small hive of it's own. They are built in tandem to individually power separate propellers and alternative propulsion methods, as well as charging massive batteries that allow the submarine to run silently for days on end. While an abundance of cooling systems are needed, as well as specialist shielding between compartments to minimise the spread of harmful radioactive particles, the power cores very rarely break down due to multiple redundant systems built in. With their power pair of Fusion Cores even supply their orbital transport cradle with the power to slow it's descent into the atmosphere under it's own power. Aircraft Carrier Capabilities The hanger deck takes up an entire third of the vessel, stretching for most of it's length it allows the storage of the heavy Storm Eagle aircraft side by side with plenty of room to manoeuvre between each other and on to either the for or aft aircraft lift. This section is one large compartment, able to be sealed off from the rest of the ship The elevators that are at the Fwd and Aft of the aircraft bay are large enough to accommodate 2 aircraft side-by-side, and have their own separate airlocks. With a pair of large, thick adamantium doors each the elevators can be isolated from the rest of the ship allowing it to dive without the risk of taking on water in the case of an emergency. The Launching system for those aircraft not capable of vertical takeoff have to rely on the two EM catapults built into the flight deck of the submarine. Clamping onto the landing struts of the aircraft they use electromagnetic force to speed up the aircraft, launching them into the air with enough speed to allow them to maintain the minimum air speed. Complex machinery hidden beneath the deck propels the heavy aircraft along, but recedes into the outer hull inside it's own compartment to keep it free of exposure to the sea, which has been known to play havoc with the mechanism, needing frequent repair. Miscellaneous While the Triton is submerged it as the ability to dock with Atlas class submarines using a special docking clamp that can link the transportation compartment to one of the aircraft lifts at either end of the submarine. This form of docking can allow for a transfer of crew, ammunition, mechanical supplies as well as food stores. By using an Atlas class as a replenishment vessel this can significantly increase the time a Triton can spend at sea, and fully operational. This can also be used in the even that an aircraft needs to be removed or added to the ship's inventory, meaning that inoperable aircraft can be replaced and a more mission-specific aircraft can be brought aboard for strikes against certain targets. Much like the Titan Legios of the Mechanicus the Triton is a formidably sized beast, meaning that normal methods of transportation from the void to the surface are out of the question. In this same vein a cradle has been designed, made of lightweight metals, floatation aides, four powerful engines capable of moving a void patrol vessel. This giant rectangular coffin allows the Triton to share it's twin Fusion Cores as a power source, able to safely manoeuvre it into the correct orbit and slow it down enough to safely splash down planet-side. Able to float to the surface it acts as a mobile dock for the ships crew, using it's stores of parts and inspection equipment to make sure the beast is safe after it's journey. The dock itself can be anchored off at the drop point or guided to another, safer area the Triton can return to if necessary. Due to the sheer size of the Triton the dock can also be used by allied naval forces as well, able to dock up to 3 Abyssal class submarines inside for repairs. When it comes time to return to orbit the Triton docks again and uses heavy cabling to share the Fusion Core's power, using them and a reserve of conventional plasma drives on the underside (reserved for returning to orbit) to achieve escape velocity and return to it's mothership in orbit. Notable Triton Class Submarines *''Vanguard's Speartip'' – Commanded by Centurion Ahab'in of the Scions Hospitalier 3rd Fleet. *''Scyllan Dreadnought'' – Commanded by Centurion Mazik Nurk of the Scions Hospitalier 92nd Fleet. Technical Specifications Category:Carrier Category:Imperial Technology Category:Submarine Category:Transport Category:Scions Hospitalier